Your Internal Strategy / Communications
During your relocation you will want to have the backing of all your staff. One of the main reasons for disgruntled staff is when they feel they are kept out of the loop. Whilst is may be attractive to you to keep the staff involvement to a minimum, it pays to communicate your intentions and get them involved (albeit in a minor way) to gain their support. After all, they are on the front face of your business - and if they are unhappy this will reflect in the way they treat your customers.
A simple way to involve all your staff is to gather feedback on what they want in their new offices. This is a great opportunity to make them feel included and also can highlight any issues that can be more easily addressed in your new space. For example, maybe 'Robert' wants his own office as some of his tasks require a lot of concentration and he gets distracted by people walking past his desk. Whilst you may not be able to give him his own office, as that would cause upset with his co-workers, you could include some small focus rooms or booths that allow Robert to move to a private area when he is completing a high concentration task. These can also be used by his co-workers for a similar purpose and will go a long way to keeping the staff on your side. It is these small things that are a lot easier to implement during an office relocation which can make the difference; staff will appreciate being consulted and updated regularly.
Depending on the size of the relocation, whether it is a few miles down the road or a major relocation, be sure to put in place systems to allow employees to feedback how this will affect them. Based on the feedback you receive you can then address issues that the staff may have and maybe sit down with individuals to discuss how you can help them. The cost of your time to discuss the impact of the relocation with an experienced member of staff - and maybe a financial contribution to their costs arising from this decision - is assuredly more cost effective than having to train up a new member of staff to replace them.
Key Points to Remember
-
Communicate to your employees about the relocation as soon as feasibly possible.
-
Put in place a help process for employees to use if they will be adversely affected by the relocation.
-
Remember, your employees are your most important asset, having them on your side will be key to a successful relocation.
-
Ensure all communication is documented to avoid any expensive lawsuits. Involve the staff by asking them what they want in the new space; this will keep them enthused and motivated during the disruptive times.
-
Often it is a good opportunity to address some of their requirements such as more privacy etc.